1. Field of the Invention
The multiple embodiments of the present invention relate to molded-in-color vehicle panels and molds for creating molded-in-color vehicle panels.
2. Background Art
Vehicle panels, which may be on the interior or exterior of a vehicle, commonly have surfaces which are exposed to a viewable environment. These exposed surfaces are often referred to as class-A surfaces. It is desirable to create these class-A surfaces to have few surface defects or flaws when compared to non class-A surfaces. Since class-A surfaces, or appearance surfaces, are exposed to a viewable environment, these surfaces are formed using tighter tolerances and greater detail. Non class-A surfaces, or concealed surfaces are not exposed in the viewable environment and may have visible surface defects and flaws.
When vehicle panels are formed using injection, compression, or vacuum molding, class-A surfaces without defects are difficult to create because of the appearance of knit and mold flow lines. Since surface defects such as these are difficult to eliminate and/or control using injection, compression, or vacuum molding, vehicle panels with class-A surfaces are not typically injection, compression, or vacuum molded unless the vehicles are painted in a secondary painting operation, covering the surface defects.
Painting the vehicle panel in a secondary painting operation requires additional time and cost to create the vehicle panel. Paint is also susceptible to peeling, chipping, blistering and/or delamination. Therefore, molded-in-color plastics provide an alternative for use in creating a vehicle panel.
Molded-in-color plastics are a lower cost option for programs to consider instead of current painted technologies and/or other decorative alternatives, such as paint film or ink laminates. Molded-in-color plastics are also environmentally friendly. Although molded-in-color plastics offer these benefits, it is still extremely difficult to mold parts in color without visible appearance of knit and mold flow lines on a class-A surface.
When a vehicle panel is designed with holes formed through the body of the panel, creating a defect-free class-A surface is difficult and often expensive even when using molded-in-color plastic. Injection, compression, or vacuum molding the vehicle panel with holes is difficult because of the visible appearance of knit and mold flow lines on the class-A surface. A secondary cutting operation is often performed on the vehicle panel to create the holes. A secondary cutting operation requires additional time and cost to produce the vehicle panel.